A future beyond tennis
by EastSeaFishy
Summary: The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.
1. Just a little bit different

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.

* * *

He stood outside of the administrative office, leaning against the trunk of a large shade-providing tree. A gentle breeze ruffled through his light brown hair and he smiled as he glanced around at the old stone buildings.

This was going to be his third year in college. It was hard to believe that he had already spent so long away from home. And yet here he was, in America. He was able to keep relatively frequent contact with some of his old teammates. Kikumaru wrote excited emails to him every day, and Oishi would check in on him once in a while. Every now and then, he'd receive a phone call from Kawamura, and they would chat: Inui published a paper on theoretical physics in Australia, Kawamura's girlfriend opened a French bakery near his sushi shop, Ryuzaki-sensei proudly announced that Echizen and her granddaughter were dating, Kawamura would be going to a professional cooking school to learn more about different styles of cuisine… But with all the work piling up for them both, they had found little time to check in on their underclassmen, and he smiled sadly at how little he had seen or heard of them in the past two years.

He pulled out his wallet and glanced at the old photo of the Seishun Gakuen boy's tennis team, taking a little extra time to examine the never changing stoic expression in the middle. Then he flipped open the wallet and pulled out an even more nostalgic photo.

* * *

 _He opened his eyes. The muted lighting welcomed him to wakefulness serenely, but he felt that the day would be a day like any other. He climbed out of bed and teased open the blinds, happily observing the horizontal bands of light that fell onto the green spines of his newly growing cacti._

 _Breakfast was waffles and morning coffee. He thought about his brother, all alone in the dorms a short distance from home. He picked up the phone and dialed, smiling at his brother's terse response. Five minutes later, he headed back to his room. After misting some water onto his pudgy cacti, he picked up his bag and headed out the door._

 _At the tennis courts, he received some happy good mornings and some excited cheers from the sidelines. During first period, a short note from Kikumaru somehow found its way around the classroom to him. He read it and chuckled. The bell rang. It was time to appreciate music._

 _After spending a period with their short, elderly music history teacher, the students had a break. A quick stroll around the hallways of the school led him to pass by class 3-1, where he snapped a rare photo of Tezuka without his glasses._

 _During lunch, he calmly ate through his bento, thoughts wandering to the photography lab's dark room, where he would be able to develop his most recent photo. He cleaned up and spent the rest of the lunch period working meticulously in the dark._

 _After classes finished, he headed to the library. A quiet Echizen flitted through the shelves, organizing books. He thought, with a chuckle, that library duty was surprisingly fitting for the arrogant but cute regular member. He borrowed 'The Little Prince' in English for a bit of bedtime reading._

 _All throughout afternoon practice, Horio's unique voice carried carelessly over the three practice courts as he boasted about his tennis experience. The dubious looks of the other freshman were constant, turning only to excitement with Echizen's late arrival._

 _His sister's cooking that night was delicious, and he headed upstairs on a full stomach to take a look at his borrowed book. Before going to sleep, he pulled out his most recent masterpiece. Intending to tack it with the rest of his photo collection, he turned to the wall by his bed and thoughtfully glanced over it. Oishi was curling his bangs in one corner, and Kaidoh was in an unsightly position with Echizen's cat in the other. Kikumaru sleeping while snuggling a tube of toothpaste overlapped slightly with a racket-less Kawamura practicing burning mode in front of the mirror. At the bottom was Inui, frustratingly concocting juice after juice after juice after juice, attempting to create a punishment drink that would finally get a reaction out of the ever-smiling tensai. Momoshiro kissed a photo of Tachibana's little sister just above the (kind of) deadly juices._

 _He could only imagine what the rest of the team would do if they found out he had all these wonderfully embarrassing photos of their secret moments._

 _He glanced back at the captain's golden-brown eyes, no longer hidden behind reflective lenses, and after a moment's thought, slipped the photo into his wallet with a smile before drifting off to sleep._

 _Perhaps the day had turned out just a little bit different after all._

* * *

He remembered it like it was yesterday, admiring those very eyes, which seemed to be staring off into space, thinking. The doors to the administrative office opened, breaking his reverie, and he let the photo slip back into its hiding place.

"Fuji."

"Tezuka."

There was a brief moment of silence as the two stood under the tree in a serene and happy reunion.

"Saa, tell me again about your transfer here?" Tezuka noted that even with his near flawless English, Fuji still retained his spoken mannerisms.

"The president of this college is an avid tennis player," Tezuka began. Fuji was happy he could converse with Tezuka in English. It was good practice for the both of them. He listened to the pleasant sound of his former captain's voice, noticing only the slightest of accents. "He heard of my accomplishments in the professional tennis community and offered me an outstanding scholarship to transfer to this school."

They both glanced up at the blue sky, taking in their surroundings. How long had it been since they could just enjoy each other's company? After another brief moment of silence, Tezuka continued.

"He also mentioned that there was an incoming freshman of spectacular tennis skill to be under my care. That person is coming by today to meet me."

"I'm glad that you're here." If the sudden statement had caught the captain off-guard, he didn't show it.

"Hn."

The wind rustled through the leaves and their conversation abated for a moment.

"Buchou." A new voice.

The two turned around in surprise. Fuji wondered long had it been since he last heard Japanese. But the person who had spoken…

"Echizen." Tezuka stated, mild surprise barely gracing his deep voice. He looked directly into the boy's cat-like eyes. "You're…" He glanced at Fuji. Fuji smiled, instantly grasping the situation.

"Saa… it's just like Echizen to show up unannounced." Of course the 'freshman of spectacular tennis skill' would be Echizen Ryoma, and of course he wouldn't have said a word of his arrival, despite knowing Fuji's status as a student at this very university. Attending college in America would have been no big deal to him, considering the time he spent here prior to Seigaku.

"Well then, buchou, Fuji-senpai… I'm going to talk to the president."

* * *

"Echizen… huh?"

"The last I heard of him was when we were still in high school." Fuji nodded in agreement.

"Who would have thought he'd end up following us here," Fuji murmured over his coffee.

It was getting late, and the orange rays of the setting sun cast hard shadows across his captain's unreadable expression.

"You must be tired. Why don't we call it a day?" Fuji fished out a few bills and placed them under his coffee cup. "My treat." Tezuka nodded, an unsaid 'thank you' lingering in the air between them. They rose from their seats and as they left the coffee shop, Fuji pulled out his cell phone, silently passing it to Tezuka. Tezuka took the phone, quickly punching in his new cell number.

"Thanks, _buchou_." Tezuka's eyebrow popped up just a bit. Fuji pretended he didn't notice, a slight smile tugging at his lips. If Echizen could still call him that, why not he? Not that he had ever really addressed Tezuka by that title even when they _were_ on the same team.

"See you tomorrow, Fuji." Fuji waved with a dazzling smile and watched Tezuka's retreating form until it disappeared around the corner. Had Tezuka glanced back even once, he would have noticed that smile slink away as an uncharacteristic look of tortured contemplation took over.

* * *

Author's Notes: Hey look at that. I'm back.


	2. A world of unexpected

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.

* * *

Fuji watched from the bench as Tezuka and Echizen rallied lightly in the early morning sun. Tezuka had called Fuji the night before to tell him that they would have to postpone the tour of the school Fuji had promised him. The president, upon learning that Echizen and Tezuka used to be on the same Nationals-winning tennis team, had requested to see a match between them at 11 am the next day. Fuji glanced down at his watch. It read 10:17 am; there was still quite some time before the president was due to show.

"Syusuke!" Fuji glanced behind his shoulder. A short African girl waved cheerfully at him. "It's rare to see you on the courts! Have you decided to start playing again?"

At this question, both Tezuka and Echizen stopped their play and glanced over in their direction. Fuji waved them over, unfazed.

"Let me introduce you. This is Astou Igwe. She's an international student here in the nursing program. She plays for our women's tennis team. Astou, this is Kunimitsu Tezuka and and Ryoma Echizen. They're both starting here in the fall, although he," Fuji gestured at Tezuka, "is in our year."

Tezuka nodded in response and Echizen responded with a simple, "hi."

"Nice to meet you both! So, Syusuke, what are you doing here?"

"The president is going to come and watch a match between these two around 11," Fuji started. "I'm just here to give Kunimitsu a tour of the campus afterwards."

Tezuka's eyes widened ever so slightly at Fuji's use of his first name and he just barely noticed the smirk tugging at Fuji's lips, as if to say, 'different culture; we're on a first name basis now.'

"The president wants to watch them play?" Astou glanced over at Tezuka and Echizen. "You two must be good."

"Well…" Fuji smiled lightly. " _Kunimitsu_ was the captain of my middle school tennis team." Fuji's smirk grew as he noticed Tezuka's eyebrow twitch. "And Ryoma here played in the US Open during our run towards the Nationals." Astou nodded appreciatively in Echizen's direction. Then she turned towards Tezuka.

"So this is the famous Seigaku tennis captain! Well don't let me pull you two away from your warm-up. Let's go hit a few, Syusuke."

Fuji got up from the bench and took the spare racket offered to him. He didn't miss the inquisitive look Echizen gave him or the subtle look of frustration on Tezuka's face. Tezuka, on the other hand, didn't miss the surprised but excited look in Astou's eyes when Fuji accepted her offer. With a multitude of questions all but bursting from his lips, he stiffly turned around.

"Echizen. On the court." Echizen smirked as he followed his obviously irritated captain back onto the court.

Fuji glanced over the racket he held. It felt unfamiliar in his hands.

"I know you haven't touched your racket since that match you played when I first met you," Astou called from across the court. "But you were so good, even as a freshman! I'm sure it'll come back quickly!"

Fuji smiled and served. After a few rallies, they paused and glanced over at the other court.

'Too bad Syusuke doesn't play seriously, even now…' Astou thought to herself. She caught the tensai gazing longingly at Tezuka's back. Echizen noticed it too.

* * *

The president's arrival should have signaled the start of the show match, but before the warm-up rally could come to a halt, the president motioned for Echizen and Tezuka to continue, while walking over to the court Astou and Fuji were on.

"Miss Astou!" he called out. "Nice to see you so spirited on the courts!" He paused for a moment as Fuji caught the ball Astou hit towards him before the president's shout. "Who are you playing with?"

Astou waved Fuji over.

"Hello President Harris. Syusuke Fuji. I'm a rising sophomore in the comparative literature department here." They shook hands.

"I can see from your form that you're no amateur," the president stated, glancing him up and down. "In fact, you seem to be quite good. Why aren't you playing for our team?" Astou nodded in agreement.

"Well… it's due to a personal issue, you see."

"Ah, I hope everything is okay?" Fuji nodded. "If you ever need assistance, do reach out. It's hard to watch a promising player slip away with his talent unrecognized. You would make a great pro."

"You can tell just from our rally?" Fuji laughed. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to disagree with you there."

* * *

The balance of the match-up hadn't changed much at all. Although Echizen had improved a lot, Tezuka clearly had the advantage throughout the entire match. Echizen's final play did manage to get a shocked expression out of the captain's never-changing face, however, which was a victory in its own right.

The president's sophisticated applause rang out over the otherwise empty courts as the two tired players made their way to the side benches. After bidding their good-byes, Astou and the president departed in one direction as Fuji led Echizen and Tezuka back to the changing rooms.

"Fuji-senpai, buchou," Echizen stated as a means of farewell. The door closed behind him with a click and all that remained was silence.

"Fuji." Fuji turned at the sound of Tezuka's stern voice. "You have something you want to tell me?" Fuji smiled sweetly.

"No, Tezuka," he stated quietly, "I don't."

* * *

As the two made their way across the school's campus, a tense silence weighed over them and the promised tour had long been forgotten. Just as Tezuka opened his mouth to uncharacteristically ask again about what Fuji was hiding, a person tackled Fuji to the ground.

"Ishihara…" Fuji groaned from under the weight.

"Fuji-kun! I saw you leaving from the library window." Fuji sighed.

"Please get off of me."

"Where are you going? Do you want to hang out?" Ishihara paused. "Who is this?"

"Ishihara, this is Tezuka Kunimitsu. He is my classmate from middle school and an entering student to our university this coming year. Tezuka, this is Ishihara Tomi."

"Huh. If he's just an old classmate, then I have nothing to worry about." Tezuka raised an eyebrow. Fuji almost chuckled. Seemed like a lot of things were taking Tezuka by surprise today.

* * *

Ishihara insisted on going with Fuji and Tezuka to wherever they were headed next, so Fuji told him that they were headed back to his house. Immediately, Ishihara bid Fuji's roommate well and departed.

"What was that about?" Tezuka asked.

"My roommate is a year above us," Fuji said dully, "and she's really strict with him so Ishihara respects her. In fact, I think he fears her a bit."

"You're rooming with a woman?"

"Mm. I met her in my freshman year and we've been living together since last year. Worried?" Fuji added coyly. Tezuka ignored the question.

When they reached the front door, Fuji pulled out the key. As soon as they entered the hallway, a petite Japanese girl poked her head out from the kitchen.

"Ah, Syusuke-kun. Ishihara just called. Has he been bothering you again?"

"He tried to follow me home, until he realized I was going _home_ and that if he followed me, he'd have a run-in with you." Fuji's roommate chuckled. "Maeda-san, let me introduce you." The girl's head disappeared for a second and there was the sound of a pot being set down. Then Fuji's roommate came out into the hall, wiping her hands on her apron.

"Tezuka, this is Maeda Chiye. She's a rising junior in the comparative literature department. She actually attended one of the schools a few blocks away from Seigaku. Maeda-san, this is Tezuka Kunimitsu. You know about him, right?"

"Ah, yes. Tezuka-san it's nice to meet you. Syusuke-kun has told me all about you." Tezuka inclined his head. "Would you like to join us for lunch?"

"That would be nice, thank you."

* * *

Midway through lunch, the phone in the hallway rang.

"I'll get it." Fuji said, pushing his chair away from the table.

"So, Tezuka-san," Maeda asked, "what are you majoring in?"

"Japanese history."

"And you're doing this alongside going pro? Syusuke-kun has told me you're a very impressive tennis player."

"I see."

Some murmuring could be heard from the hallway during the lapse in conversation. After a few moments, they both heard the sound of the phone being set down and a short while later, Fuji returned to the room.

"What was that about?" Maeda asked him.

"Just a call from my mother back in Japan," Fuji said with a strained smile. Maeda smiled back comfortingly. She knew at first glance that something was wrong, but for her friend's sake, didn't push it. Tezuka, too, could sense that the atmosphere had changed.

After lunch, Fuji suddenly remembered that he hadn't yet given Tezuka a tour of the campus and dragged him out of the house, bidding a rushed farewell to his roommate. They walked first through the school buildings, then around the campus. And then they walked through the town surrounding the school and through a large park. Eventually, Fuji brought Tezuka to a beautiful hill around a mile away from the campus. The sky was starting to turn orange and even Tezuka was beginning to get tired.

"Fuji…" he asked almost hesitantly, "is everything okay?"

Only the quiet ruffling of leaves in the breeze could be heard in the silence so far from town. Fuji stood with his back to Tezuka, surveying the town below. His body cast a long shadow in the setting sun.

"Tezuka," he said quietly before turning around. "My father got a promotion."

"Congratulations." When Fuji said nothing more in response, Tezuka took a step towards him.

"I am expected in France."

* * *

Author's Notes: On a less serious note, Fuji can be a real troll sometimes haha


	3. Fumble

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.

* * *

 **Tezuka POV**

I could only just make out the slight crack in Fuji's otherwise melodic voice.

"France?" I echoed him. The air had suddenly turned a little chilly, or perhaps it was my body temperature that had risen? Fuji was leaving for France. The school semester hadn't even started yet and he was going to be gone. I struggled to keep my composure, but luckily Fuji didn't seem to notice. I willed my voice to stay strong. "I see."

"Well then," Fuji said, eyes dropping to the ground, "I have some stuff to take care of – I'll see you later." And while I was standing there shocked, Fuji walked quickly away. I regained my composure just a little too late as I caught the look of hurt etched deep on his face, a look he was desperately trying to hide.

"Fuji!" But he was already gone.

* * *

The sound of the doorbell echoed slightly through the dark, quiet neighborhood. Some shuffling on the other side of the door informed me that someone was about to open it.

"Tezuka-san!" Maeda exclaimed, her quiet voice surprised. "Is everything okay?"

"Is Fuji there?"

"Wasn't he with you?"

"He said he had something to take care of and took off."

"Oh… He hasn't come back."

"I see. I will stop by again later then. Thank you." I stepped back from the door and turned around.

"Don't worry Tezuka-san!" she called to me from the door. "He will be okay. He always is."

* * *

On my way back to the dorms, someone tapped me from behind and suddenly I was up against a wall of one of the school buildings with a shorter man clutching my collar. I recognized him as the student Fuji had introduced me to, a student by the name of Ishihara Tomi.

"Can I help you?" I asked him quietly, surprised at the menacing undertone that permeated through my voice. He seemed to notice it too as he paused for a moment, before his brow contorted in anger.

"What did you do to him?"

"Excuse me?"

"Fuji-kun. He just ran through the campus grounds, looking all tortured and stuff. What did you do to him?"

I grabbed his wrist and forced him off my shirt. We stared at each other for a second and then I turned heel and walked away.

"Hey! Wait!"

I just kept walking. Aside from the baffling lack of logic this man was displaying, the last thing I wanted was to be reminded by this annoying student that I had somehow upset my friend of many years.

"Hey!" He called again. I spun around so quickly that my pursuer actually jumped.

"Ishihara. You don't even know if I was with Fuji up until now. Leave me alone." Then I walked away, leaving him behind, a look of sudden epiphany adorning his plain face.

I needed to talk to Fuji. I usually didn't text, but I had a feeling he wouldn't pick up even if I called. So I fumbled clumsily with the keyboard on my phone and waited for his response, if I was ever to get one.

* * *

Author's Notes: Short isn't it?


	4. This is my resolve

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.

* * *

 **Fuji POV**

"I am expected in France."

"France?" he asked. I snuck a glance at Tezuka's face. It was as emotionless as ever. "I see."

The news hadn't fazed him. Even in my absence, he would continue to study and grow stronger as a professional tennis player. The feeling of distance between us that I first started to notice towards the end of high school suddenly exploded and the only thing I could do to hide my fear and pain was run.

"Well then," I said, dropping my eyes to the ground, "I have some stuff to take care of – I'll see you later." And I walked away as fast as my feet would take me, breaking into a run a few paces later. I thought I faintly heard my name, but it must have been the wind. Tezuka's voice would never have exhibited such raw emotion.

I ran for a long time, grateful that despite my lack of practice on the courts, my continued workouts kept my endurance high. Conflicting thoughts occupied my mind. My father needed me. Tezuka... and Echizen… They just got here. But what was the point of staying now? The rift had already grown so large. I did not want to leave. Yet at the same time, I did.

I ran until I was at the gates of the school grounds and ran even faster through them. I only stopped when I finally reached a small, secluded garden. This little treasure in the school grounds had been blocked off from view by tall hedges and I spent a lot of my free time here reading.

I sat down, exhausted, against the base of a young tree. A ruffling of leaves caught my attention and I looked towards the bushes, praying to be left alone. A white cat with a brown face stalked its way out of the hedge. Despite the turmoil of emotions beating away within my ribcage, I smiled. Echizen brought his cat?

The cat looked at me, its blue eyes suddenly reminding me of my own. What was its name? Karupin?

I held out my hand and Karupin ambled over, taking the time to lick one of my outstretched fingers. I wondered idly if the president had given Echizen permission, or whether this intelligent creature had somehow snuck its way into Echizen's luggage. I chuckled at the thought, finally stroking Karupin's soft fur.

I must have sat there for at least an hour as the sun continued to set, the sky turning a rich purple. It was starting to get a little chilly and this brief reprieve from the outside world had given me enough time to calm myself down. I steeled my resolve. I no longer had time to think about other things. My father had requested my presence as soon as possible, so perhaps it was time to request an audience with the president.

* * *

The administrative office was the closest building to my location, so after bidding Karupin a grateful farewell, I headed inside to use one of the computers. As I walked in, a young lady looked at me curiously as she passed me on her way to the exit.

"Can I help you?" she called out hesitantly after we had passed.

"Mm, do you work here? I'm just going to use the computers. I need to talk to the president so I was hoping to send him an email and schedule a meeting."

"The president? It will be hard to meet with the president if it is an administrative issue. I would be happy to connect you to someone who could help you with your problem."

"I'm sorry," I smiled graciously, "but this is a pressing issue only the president can help me with. Are you his secretary?"

"Yes." The young woman paused for a moment, gazing thoughtfully up at the ceiling. Then she turned to me again. "Do you mind if I ask what this is all about?"

"My father is requesting my presence in France and I would like to talk to the president about the prospects of a timely graduation if I leave before the start of the current semester. It's rather urgent so it's actually more of a favor, you see."

"What's your name?"

"Syusuke Fuji."

The president's secretary studied my face carefully. Perhaps it wouldn't be this easy. The registrar exists at universities for this very reason but with all the administrative hoops I would have to jump through, it could be weeks before I got clearance. Surprisingly, she must have decided that my case was worthwhile, because she motioned for me to follow her.

"Why don't we go up? You're lucky the president is working late in his office today. I will check to see if we can set up an appointment for you."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

* * *

I sat in the dim waiting room, studying the framed posters of professional tennis players lining the walls. Sampras, Agassi, Federer, and Hewitt, just to name a few. There were also a few old photos of the university's men's and women's tennis teams. I was surprised the secretary didn't just put off scheduling an appointment until tomorrow, but perhaps she was like the president: a bit eccentric, but very caring. Although he showed favoritism towards the tennis players, one could tell he really tried his best for every student at his university.

The door to the president's office opened, breaking my musings and the secretary walked towards me.

"You can go inside. The president has agreed to meet with you."

* * *

Author's Notes: Hey, you know what I like? Reviews! Please review.


	5. Like a badly written movie

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.

* * *

Fuji entered the office.

"Hello Syusuke. You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, President Harris. I have a favor to ask." The president motioned for him to sit down and continue. "You see my father recently and unexpectedly got promoted to CEO of a major company in France. The previous CEO was a close friend of his but I'm sure there was a reason beyond just the friendship. Many people had their eyes on the vice president succeeding as CEO so having a general manager of one of the company's divisions take over seems outrageous. My father has been a diligent worker but has no experience running such a large operation. He does not have… the confidence or the presence to bring the company together. His advisors now fear there might be an uproar so he has requested my presence in France for an undetermined amount of time, to help him set up and figure out what is going on."

"I see." The president's face showed understanding that the issue at hand was very sensitive. "Well first of all, let me congratulate you and your family. I suppose you are asking for leave, with permission to come back when this is all over?"

"Actually, I was hoping I could continue my studies in France and have the credits accepted here, if I follow the school's curriculum. The previous CEO left the company, as well as his fortune, to my father in his will. I'm not too clear on the facts yet, but at the very least I know my father hoped to hire a private tutor to help me continue my studies abroad."

The president took a moment to process everything he had just been told. Slowly, he brought his head up from its resting place on his interlaced fingers and looked Fuji straight in the eye.

"It's almost funny isn't it?" Fuji murmured. "Like straight out of a clichéd movie."

"This _is_ a very strange turn of events, I must admit." There was a moment's pause. "But unusual events call for unusual action. Your proposal seems reasonable. You will, however, need to be in touch with the registrar's office every semester should you be gone for that long, just to ensure you are meeting all the requirements." Fuji nodded. "But," the president tapped the table, "in return, I have a favor to ask as well. I want you to play a serious game of tennis against me. If you do that, I think I can grant your favor with no regrets." Fuji paused for a moment.

"May I ask why?" The president's serious demeanor suddenly disappeared and was replaced by a mischievous look.

"Because I think it will be fun. I am an average player myself, but I've learned that my abilities lie in coaching and seeing the potential of young players such as yourself. I haven't given up on you yet."

* * *

"Ready?" Fuji called from across the court. The president waved his hand. Fuji looked up at the still-dark sky. Out of consideration for Fuji, the president had requested the match be held at 5 am the next day, when the courts were almost guaranteed to be empty. If the president willingly woke up before dawn for his sake and wanted a serious match, a serious match he was going to get. Fuji was going to give it his all. "Here I go."

As Fuji tossed the ball high into the air, the president, startled by the flash of piercing cerulean, almost missed the return. After a few rallies, a corner shot put the first point on Fuji's side. As Fuji was preparing to serve again, the president studied his face.

The usual calm and friendly aura had been replaced by a much more serious one, with gorgeous blue eyes that burned with strength and resolve. It was intimidating, but there was also something missing.

"President Harris," Fuji called again, "please prepare yourself. I'm not holding back today."

* * *

In twenty minutes, the match was over.

"Syusuke," the president began as they sat side by side, resting on the bench, "you're really something. To be able to use those counters on a player like myself, who can't smash hard or spin the ball with much force… I really don't know what to say."

"Thank you for your kind words." Fuji's typical smile was back in place.

"But you know, I think I understand now why you aren't pursuing professional tennis." Fuji looked at the president curiously. "You play with such intense resolve when you have to, but tennis is not a passion in your eyes, it's merely a game. You understand your skill, but not your potential." The president looked up at the sky, painted orange and pink with the sun's early rays. "Winning is easy so you play just well enough to beat your opponent. I appreciate that after our first rally, you abandoned everything and gave it your all. But your serious play is just serious. It seems you don't enjoy tennis anymore. Have you thought about the reason for this at all?"

Fuji could only stare, awestruck at the president's terrific insight. And without thought, a few words escaped his lips.

"M-maybe that personal issue…"

* * *

Tezuka woke up, already heavy-hearted first thing in the morning. His hand felt weighed down on his phone as he reached for it, heart skipping just a beat as he flipped it open. But the message he had received was nothing more than an advertisement from his service provider. Tezuka looked at the time at the top of the screen. 7:14 am. It was probably too early to pay Fuji a visit, assuming he had even returned home the night before. But since something was obviously wrong, he figured both Fuji and his roommate would forgive him eventually.

Tezuka dressed quickly, but without a sense of urgency. His hand trailed over his old middle school Seigaku jersey as he searched for a simple lavender button down shirt. After brushing his teeth and splashing some cold water onto his face, he locked the door and headed out into the town towards Fuji's neighborhood.

* * *

Fuji stood at the window, looking at the vast sky. Whatever was happening around him didn't matter anymore. He thought back to the night before. He had gotten a text…

* * *

 _Fuji returned home, where Maeda told him that Tezuka had stopped by to ask about him. Fuji smiled and told her it didn't matter anymore. He couldn't remember if he had ever seen Maeda's face so sad and concerned before. But he brushed it off and headed up the creaky wooden stairs._

 _The meeting with the president had gone very smoothly – much more so than he had expected. He was grateful for the president's snap judgments, but was it normal for the head of such a large institution to make decisions about a matter like this seemingly on a whim? He shook his head. The president had done him a favor and now he needed to figure out how he was going to repay the president on the court the next day._

 _His phone beeped cheerfully on the table. He flipped it open._

 _"Are you okay?"_

* * *

Tezuka approached Fuji's door with a little apprehension. How long had it been since he had felt this way? He rang the doorbell, pressing it lightly in hopes that it would ring a bit softer. Unfortunately, he could hear the doorbell resonate through the empty house, its volume amplified by the quietness of the early morning.

Unexpectedly, Maeda opened the door very quickly, looking like she had already been awake for several hours.

"Ah… Tezuka-san," she murmured awkwardly. "Uh…"

"Is Fuji there?" Tezuka asked, concerned by her unusual demeanor.

"I'm sorry Tezuka-san," she said, eyes dropping to the floor. Tezuka's heart sank. "Syusuke-kun left for the airport forty minutes ago. Even if you left now, I don't think you'll be able to catch him before he gets through security."

"He's gone?"

"I- I tried to contact you yesterday," Maeda sighed, a heavy sadness set upon her delicate face, "but you hadn't left your number and Syusuke-kun had locked himself in his room to pack."

"Fuji already left for France?"

* * *

 _'Am I okay?' Fuji thought to himself. 'Am I? What a ridiculous question.' He snapped his phone shut and set it to silent. Only after a minute of standing still by his table did he realize he wasn't just hurt; he was actually a little angry with his friend. But it was too late to deal with it now. His father needed his help in France and he had managed to convince the president to allow him to leave the next day after an all-out match._

 _He turned to survey his room. What did he need to take? Pulling out a suitcase from under his bed, he quickly dropped several pairs of pants ins-_

* * *

The loud roaring of a departing plane ripped Fuji from his daydream. He shook his head and checked the clock. Five minutes until boarding. Maybe if he was lucky, these next few minutes of his life would unfold like a television drama, where a desperate Tezuka would come bursting through a wall of security guards, screaming his name.

* * *

Tezuka burst through the doors, slamming his hands down on the desk.

"What… Why did you…"

The president sat, taken aback in his chair. His secretary had followed Tezuka close behind.

"Sorry, John," she wheezed, "he just came charging in. Do you want me to call security?"

"Kunimitsu, what is going on?"

"Fuji." Tezuka stated tersely. The president motioned at his secretary that everything was okay. She left the room, confused.

"What would you like to know?"

"How could you let him go to France, just like that? Fuji's roommate just told me everything that had happened."

"Kunimitsu, Syusuke's family has a problem that they need to deal with," the president said gently. "Should I have stopped him from helping his family when my power as the president could actually aid him? I had no reason to."

Tezuka bit his lip and the president could see a subtle mix of emotions swirling around behind his eyes. He was so upset he didn't even realized he was referring to someone by his family name, something the president noticed Fuji took care not to do. Then something clicked.

"Why are you so upset?" The president's question threw Tezuka off balance.

"What?"

"Why are you upset?" Tezuka looked at him sternly, but the president could tell the student before him was extremely confused as he tried to figure out the answer to the question. He smiled.

"Don't worry Kunimitsu. Syusuke left me his contact information for France. I can give that to you if you'd like."

Tezuka nodded and the president handed him a slip of paper. As soon as he had the paper firmly in his hand, Tezuka bolted out of the president's office, startling the secretary outside.

The president smiled again. Young love, perhaps? Young, dense, idiotic love. The charming college student that was currently sprinting as fast as he could across the school grounds was bound to figure it out soon enough.

* * *

Author's Notes: How silly has this story become? Things don't happen like that in real life.


	6. Diving deep

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo

* * *

Fuji stood at his father's side in a grand hall. A few days after he had arrived in France, he was informed that an exhibition was to be held in honor of the new CEO. A very affluent friend of his, however, had once told him that such exhibitions were really a test in the eyes of the public and competing companies. They wanted to see for themselves the nature of the new CEO and whether or not he would be easy to crush.

Fuji glanced over to his right. Yuuta's school started a week after Fuji's, so he too was in France to support his father for the time being. Yuuta felt the look and stole a peek. Although the brothers did not let it show on their faces, the support each offered the other was mutually understood. Neither of them had any experience in the corporate world, but at the very least they could present the image of two confident, good-looking sons that graciously supported their father's endeavors.

Fuji was actually surprised at how much their presence did for the public's approval. A few minutes ago, he had overheard two very well-dressed women whispering about how splendid and promising the new CEO's sons looked. The elder seemed to be very knowledgeable in the classics and the arts, they said. The younger was less well-versed in the languages, as they could tell by his accent in both English and French, but he had a vibrant vitality with which the older's spirit could not compare.

"Welcome, Mr. Fuji," drawled a well-built man as he walked up to Fuji and shook his hand. His accent was strong but very understandable. "I am Alexis Manseau, the vice president of this company. I hope we can get along and work together well." Fuji almost winced. The man's grip was very strong.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Manseau. I hope to be of service." Yuuta looked over at his brother's face. A sweet smile adorned it but there was just the slightest hint of discomfort. So his brother felt it too. This man could be very dangerous.

"And you must be the younger son."

"Yuuta Fuji, sir. It is a pleasure." Yuuta took the man's hands in his and after a brief shake, let go.

Fuji's father smiled weakly at Mr. Manseau before the man smirked and walked away.

* * *

It had been several weeks since Tezuka stormed the president's office and received the slip of paper containing Fuji's address and phone number in France. But a few steps away from the door to his dorm, he had stopped. Fuji had left without telling him a word of his departure. After a quick and ferocious debate in his mind, he realized with a hint of sadness that Fuji was unlikely to return whatever letters he wrote. Defeated, he folded the paper into his wallet and slowly walked up the steps.

School had already been well under way for several weeks before Tezuka saw Astou again. One day, they bumped into each other on campus and she asked him for lunch the following day.

They sat in the cafeteria with notes out in front of them, slowly eating through their sandwiches. Even though they had both thought (and awkwardly so for Tezuka) that they would be chatting over lunch, the amount of work they received the night before made studying the entire day a necessity.

After another bite of his sandwich, Tezuka looked out the window and sighed.

"Do you miss him?" Astou asked him quietly.

"Who?"

"Syusuke."

Tezuka said nothing at first. And then, "Astou, tell me about how you met him."

Astou looked at him curiously before continuing.

"Ah. It was in freshman year. It was the day of the tennis team tryouts and I was taking a brisk walk through the school grounds to warm up my legs. I overheard some students talking about how one of the tennis buffs had challenged another unknown student to a match."

"Fuji."

"That's right," Astou replied. "Curious, I walked up to the court where the match was about to take place. I recognized the tennis buff as one of the most promising candidates for the men's tennis team. Rumor had it he was also a total jerk. This was confirmed when I overheard two of the spectators talking about how the unknown student had merely shown an interest in the match from the sidelines when the tennis buff saw him and challenged him." Astou paused for a moment to take a sip of her drink.

"'That jerk just wants to make himself look good,' they said. Seems the tennis buff was banking on the fact that even feminine guys have pride to protect when insulted. But that wasn't the feeling I got. Syusuke had such a calming aura about him; he just smiled when nasty words were thrown his way by his soon-to-be-opponent. It almost felt like he was hiding something."

"Fuji won."

"Of course. Beat the other guy soundly. Safe to say the buff never made it onto the team. But neither did Syusuke. His play was gorgeous, but when the match was over, he dropped the racket to the ground and walked away with a terribly sad look in his eyes. Since then, he never touched a tennis racket, until the day I met you."

Tezuka looked down at his food. What exactly happened to Fuji in the time they had been apart?

"It's interesting to note that Tomi, the guy who's always bothering Syusuke, saw him that day too. When he realized he had a class with the tennis prodigy, he couldn't leave Syusuke alone."

"I see."

"Kunimitsu, why don't you write to him? I'm sure he'd be happy."

"I wouldn't want to bother him."

"He likes you, Kunimitsu. I doubt a letter from you would _bother_ him."

Tezuka didn't respond and his expression hadn't changed. 'Is he really not catching my drift?' Astou wondered to herself.

"Does Fuji talk to you about himself a lot?" Tezuka felt unusual asking such a question, but it just seemed like Astou knew his friend a lot better than he did, at least within the last few years. Astou sighed. It was so obvious how much the captain missed his friend.

"Yes, he does. At least go talk to Chiye? Maybe she can convince you to write."

* * *

Maeda opened the door to see the serious man looking at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Astou had called a few minutes before to let her know that Tezuka may be paying her a visit soon. She had given a brief recap of her most recent conversation with the captain and emphasized over and over how dense the student was. She practically begged Maeda to get him to at least write to the boy.

"Tezuka-san! Please, come in."

Tezuka nodded. When they were comfortably seated at the table with tea, Maeda looked at Tezuka with an unsure expression on her face. Tezuka sat for a moment and then decided that perhaps it was best to just talk it all out, clear everything up.

"Maeda-san. Astou told me recently that Fuji had stopped playing tennis since he entered college." Maeda nodded and Tezuka continued. "The Fuji I knew would never have stopped playing tennis. I am trying to figure out what happened."

"Are you worried?" Maeda asked gently. Tezuka thought for a moment.

"Yes," he answered honestly.

"I see. You two are close. Why don't you write to him and ask? Or perhaps give him a call? International rates are high but…"

"He wouldn't respond to me."

Maeda considered his response. Under normal circumstances, Fuji would definitely respond. Maybe not with any sort of answer, but at least he would make conversation. But when he left, the tensai had been extremely upset. Perhaps Tezuka was right and Fuji would not respond to a half-hearted attempt at contact. Then perhaps, all that was needed to bring these two together again was a bit more information to push Tezuka into reaching out with all his might.

"As far as I know, Syusuke-kun had been feeling distanced from tennis since maybe midway through high school."

'That's strange,' Tezuka thought. 'I never noticed much of a change in high school.'

"But it wasn't until college that he stopped playing altogether."

"Do you know the reason?"

"Yes, Tezuka-san, I do. But I feel that this is something Syusuke-kun would rather talk about on his own, when he is ready. You understand, right?"

"Yes, of course."

There was a pause.

"If you don't mind me asking…" Tezuka paused again and Maeda found the uncharacteristic look of struggle on his face almost amusing. "How did you two end up rooming together?"

"Oh, Tezuka-san," Maeda giggled, immediately understanding the difficult question the captain was trying (or not trying) to imply. "Syusuke-kun and I were never together! We became fast friends and he opened up to me about himself very quickly, for reasons even I don't understand."

"Oh." The female roommate wasn't the issue. Then what about females in general? "Did Fuji ever… love?" Tezuka's inner self winced. Oh the awkwardness.

"Yes… I suppose. But it might not be exactly what you are thinking…"

"What do you mean?" Maeda paused once again. This was starting to approach dangerous territory. But then again, Fuji had always complained to her about how he was never able to find the right time to tell his friends. Or one friend in particular. Weighing her options, she decided to take a risk, one her friend and roommate would hopefully benefit from.

"Do you know why Ishihara is always bothering Syusuke-kun?"

"No," Tezuka responded, not really seeing how this question had any relevance. Maeda sighed.

"Tezuka-san, Syusuke-kun likes guys and Ishihara knows this." She paused to let the news sink in. If the news came as any surprise, Tezuka was doing a spectacular job at hiding it. "That's also why there have been no problems with the two of us living under the same roof." Maeda was a bit anxious at the lack of expression on the captain's face.

"So Ishihara has been chasing Fuji since he's known him?" Maeda nodded and then smiled softly when she saw the subtle look of confusion, worry, and protectiveness on the captain's face. Taking the risk had been the right choice.

"Don't worry, Tezuka-san. I'm sure you'll figure it out soon."

* * *

Author's Notes: It's pretty fun writing awkward Tezuka.


	7. Turning tables

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.

* * *

 **Tezuka POV**

"Don't worry, Tezuka-san. I'm sure you'll figure it out soon."

Then it hit me. _Figure it out soon._ That was the perfect phrase to summarize the look everyone had been giving me. Maeda's face bore that expression in an encouraging way. Astou's face had exasperatedly howled that at me. The president's face had mysteriously whispered that at me. But what was I supposed to figure out?

Fuji liked guys. Maybe this was getting in the way of tennis. If he were to play on the team, he would be surrounded by males after all. Was he scared of the responses he would get? No. Fuji had never been one to care for what others thought of him. Maybe there was someone on the team that he loved, but knew he would never get. Yes, that seemed more plausible.

"Uh… Tezuka-san?" Maeda's voice interrupted my frantic musings. The answer was there, but I had no idea what it was. "Is everything okay?" Maeda was staring intently at my face and I realized I hadn't said a word in several minutes.

"Yes, sorry."

"I'm sorry if the news came as a shock."

"No, that's quite alright." She studied my face and after a moment, seemed convinced that I was truly okay.

"Is there anything else you would like to know?"

I thought for a second.

"I never really understood why Fuji was called over to France."

"Ah." Maeda fixed her eyes on the cup in front of her. "His father suddenly got promoted to CEO of the company he had been working for. But since his father has no experience running a company, he asked Fuji to accompany him in France."

That was odd.

"Does Fuji have any experience in business?"

"No, but he knows people who do." Maeda's eyes slid over to me before quickly returning to the cup. "And so should you."

* * *

"Atobe!"

"Tezuka," he said calmly.

I was standing in the room of a stranger just introduced to me twenty minutes ago, facing an old tennis rival over a video chatting program. This said stranger was preparing to discuss technological business with Atobe. There had been too many surprises in one day.

* * *

 _"Let me introduce you." Maeda gestured towards the man standing at the open door. "This is Tom Hill. He's an international student from England and currently a senior in business. His father is the CEO of a company called Macrohard. I'm sure you know them? After all, most computers run the Macrohard Doors operating system now."_

 _Tom shook my hand. This man certainly seemed to have experience in business but I most definitely had never met him before._

 _"I was the RA in Syusuke's freshman dorm before he moved in with Chiye. It's nice to meet you. Why don't you come on in? Your timing is perfect. I was just about to make that business call to your acquaintance."_

* * *

"Tezuka, we'll talk after this." Atobe shuffled some papers in front of him. I noticed that he spoke with a tinge of a British accent. "Now Tom, Atobe Systems has nearly finished updating these two programs to fit with the new version of Doors. The only issue we have left to address is how to update the screen icons. For Atobe Imageshop, the designers felt that we should use…" Atobe smirked and spoke the rest of the sentence with deliberation. " _Ore-sama's_ eye." Tom chuckled. "And for Atobe TrapezeArtist, _ore-sama's_ silhouette."

"Still the same as ever, eh Keigo? Even after all those years since England. Alright, those ideas sound pretty interesting. Send me the programs when they're finished and we'll run some joint tests to make sure they run smoothly."

Atobe and Tom both made some notes on the papers in front of them.

"Short and sweet." Tom turned to me. "Kunimitsu. I'm sure you and Keigo have a lot to catch up on. Why don't you take over? I need to talk to Chiye about a few things as well."

I nodded and took the seat as Tom and Chiye stepped into the hall. There was a quiet pause.

"Tezuka, huh?"

"I didn't know you had been to England Atobe."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me. I grew up in England." He smoothed his hair down. "But what's going on with you? How are you and the tensai doing? Is the chibi there too?" Not that Echizen was short and cute anymore. He had developed into a young athletic man and grown quite a bit in height.

"Echizen is here." I said stiffly. "Fuji is currently in France."

"Yes, I heard about that. He got thrown into a tough situation."

"From the way Maeda-san was talking, can I assume Fuji approached you for help?"

"Briefly. A few days ago, he explained there was a welcoming exhibition and gallery to be held in honor of the new CEO. He is expected to take part in that exhibition. Maybe a few years ago, Fuji had asked me about my experiences in the business world. At the time, it seemed to be purely out of interest. I told him that exhibitions like this were some of the most misunderstood events in the corporate world."

"Misunderstood?"

"Yes, the unaware think it is a social gathering – a party. What they don't understand, and what I told Fuji those several years ago, is that this event is a means of scrutiny, evaluation, by the public and competing companies. I myself have been part of such exhibitions and can easily show the world exactly who they were dealing with. They know my nature and my ambition as the CEO of Atobe Systems and shrink away, understanding that I am impossible to crush. But Fuji's father, he is a very different personality."

"I see." Atobe's eyes narrowed in response to my short reply.

"So why aren't you talking to Fuji about this?" I hesitated at his question. What should I tell him?

"There were some issues between us before he left." I took a moment to examine Atobe's face on the screen. His regal persona was as dazzling as ever but there was something else mixed in. Some incredulousness. Was that disgust?

"You're as serious as ever." There it was again. Atobe's face blatantly screamed, _Hurry up and figure it out you dumbass_. The disgust lingered. "Maybe you should try to show some emotion now and again."

What an odd thing to say.

* * *

The next day, I got to my Ancient Japanese Literature class a few minutes early. Surprisingly, Ishihara approached me. I had nearly forgotten he was in this class. As an East Asian Studies major, he had to take a number of the same classes I did. But he hadn't spoken to me once since that day he held me up against one of the school buildings demanding an explanation for Fuji's behavior.

"How is Fuji-kun doing?"

"I have not been in contact with him since he left."

"How's that? Aren't you supposed to be close? He even responds to my emails occasionally!"

"Then why don't you ask _him_ how he's doing?" I asked through gritted teeth. Ishihara probably didn't know this, but I was nearing the limit of my patience for matters regarding Fuji. There were too many things for me to think about, especially with all these recent developments. I did not need to be reminded by Ishihara, of all people, that there was still an enormous problem between my friend and me.

"I just wanted to know if there was anything he shared with you that he didn't tell me."

This man either had no common sense or was a complete idiot. I struggled to maintain my expression. If rolling my eyes had ever been a part of my behavioral vocabulary, they would have rolled every time Ishihara opened his mouth.

"Well I have nothing to share with you."

"Come on Tezuka-san," he whined, "tell me something about him. What was he like in high school? Middle school?"

"Sadistic." Ishihara did a double take and then must have decided that I was being sarcastic. In a way, he was right. I wasn't going to share any memories or thoughts. But Fuji _did_ have a somewhat sadistic streak within him. I almost shivered as I remembered overhearing Momoshiro and Fuji discussing the incident with Inui's penal tea. It was a good thing Fuji was my friend, not my enemy.

Taking no heed of my lack of interest, Ishihara ranted on about how well matched he and Fuji were, as he was the son of a wealthy Japanese politician and the Fuji family had recently climbed to a respectable wealth, reaching its peak with this most recent development. Luckily, the bell cut him short. But Ishihara had one last parting statement for me before class started.

"Well let me know if he ever reaches out to you. Seems like I'm the favorite now though."

* * *

Author's notes: This just goes to show how long ago this story was started – back when Adobe Photoshop's icon still had the image of an eye. I'm not sure where silhouette came from. I seem to remember Adobe Acrobat having a silhouette at one point but I couldn't find it, even after some research. Also, just in case anyone missed this reference: when Momo asked Fuji why he tried so hard not to come in last, especially because he typically likes Inui's drinks, Fuji's response was, "I like seeing people suffer even more."


	8. Letters to nobody

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.

* * *

Tezuka sat at his desk, the yellow light from his lamp spilling onto the surface of the table. He had already been at this for several hours. The last time he had struggled so much with something was back in middle school – back when Echizen had first joined the Seigaku tennis team. Deciding how to organize the block matches had been rather difficult.

After hearing that last jab from Ishihara earlier in the day, he abruptly came to the conclusion that he would write to Fuji as soon as he arrived home. This would give his friend time, if he hadn't already had enough of it, to think about how to respond. But the words were not flowing onto the paper and every sentence he wrote sounded rough, unrefined. Most importantly, the sentences weren't accurately conveying his thoughts.

* * *

Fuji let out an uncharacteristic sigh of relief. Although the exhibition from a few weeks ago had passed without incident, there was still much that needed to be done before his father would gain the trust of all his company's employees. Mr. Manseau had been surprisingly helpful with the transition, offering to take on duties that he was not responsible for, at least until the transition was complete.

Fuji looked down at the papers in front of him. A few hours earlier, he had been informed that a package addressed to him had been found in a bank safe. The account had belonged to the former CEO and his father's close friend, Alain Villenueve. The papers were a mixture of scribbled notes, letters, and printed stories. It would take him several hours, but he was determined to read through them all. With almost a foreboding notion, he realized that there must have been a reason for which Alain addressed everything to _him_.

Yuuta, on the screen, eyed the papers curiously. They had video called almost every day since he had left France, which occurred shortly after the exhibition so that he could continue attending school.

"Aniki, do you want any help?"

"Saa, Yuuta… I could scan them in and send them to you, but reading through all these documents doesn't sound like something you'd particularly enjoy." Fuji let out a small chuckle. Yuuta smirked.

"You're right. Well then, if you change your mind, let me know. I'm going to go out for a run."

Fuji smiled and waved a hand.

* * *

 _… And her flowing hair rippled in the sun, looking like spun gold. Pierre was mesmerized. He reached out, as if to t-_

The rest of the sentence had been ripped off. Fuji placed the torn paper aside. There had already been several pieces of Pierre's story scattered throughout the box. The next paper caught his eye though. It was a heavy piece of yellowed parchment with words written in blue ink.

 _Syusuke,  
_ _We haven't officially met, but I can tell you are a wonderful person. Your father is extremely well mannered and hard working. I am sure he passed those traits on to you. I heard that you recently moved to America to pursue higher education. It must be difficult for your family to be so spread out across the globe. Your sister and brother are both still in Japan, are they not?_

Fuji flipped the page over but the letter had stopped short. He set it down, unsure of how to interpret it. The next document was an invoice.

 _Parisian Catering Service  
_ \- _2_Tray_Broiled chicken__ _€35  
_ \- _2_Platter_Foie gras w toasted baguette__ _€28  
_ \- _2_Bowl_Cesar Salad__ _€18  
_ \- _1_Tray_Seasoned white rice__ _€5  
_ \- _1_Tray_Brown rice__ _€6  
_ \- _1_Tray_Seared scallops__ _€17  
_ \- _4_Loaf_Baguette__ _€12  
_ \- _2_Tray_Roasted vegetables w lemon__ _€15  
_ \- _2_Platter_Assorted cookies__ _€12_

Fuji sighed again and placed it on top of Pierre's torn story.

 _My dear, I cannot apologize enough for how much I have hurt you. You know this company is my life, but to think I placed it before your wellbeing… I don't know if you can forgive me - and honestly, I would not be surprised if you never could. How funny it is that the traits I wish for in my successor are traits I cannot seem to display. Honesty, compassion, hard work, knowing what is important… Please understand that I will not hold it against you if you decide I am not to be a part of your life any longer. I think that after all you have been through, this decision is yours and yours to make alone. But also know that no matter where you are or what you decide, I will always have the best hopes for you and that I will always be here, should you ever need me.  
_ _\- Alain_

The last word was signed in a beautiful cursive. Fuji could feel the pain in Alain's writing. He felt that even without the context of this letter or knowing whom exactly it was addressed to, he had a better understanding of his father's late friend.

 _"Strong, beautiful, but harsh and abrasive at the same time. He looked on at his partner and felt uncomfortable. He knew that his partner would get very far in life – he had the personality and ambition for it, but there were other ways to go about pursuing that ambition that would be better received." Did you know, Yoshiko, that one of my partners in this business reminds me so much of this character? Your husband lent me this book, actually._

'Yoshiko,' Fuji thought, 'that's my mother's name.' Fuji was pretty sure that Alain and his mother had never spoken before. Perhaps then, these letters were never written with the intent to be mailed. Having the eldest son in the Fuji family, and him alone, read these letters… was that their sole purpose?

From outside his house, at street level, Fuji heard the flag on the mailbox go up. He pushed back from his desk and stretched before walking to the window. He could afford to take a break. He was maybe halfway through the box of papers. And sure enough, the mail truck had just departed down the street to the next house.

Fuji walked down to the mailbox and peered inside. The air outside was cool and brisk. His thoughts idly wandered to Yuuta, running back in Japan.

The first letter he pulled out made his heart stop. That neat handwriting he had seen so often in school was printed across the envelope. _Syusuke Fuji_. His name. And in the top left corner, _Kunimitsu Tezuka_.

With trembling hands, he opened the envelope.

 _Fuji,  
_ _I hope you're doing well. How are you?_

A quiet laugh escaped his lips. Just from the first two sentences, it was clear that Tezuka must have struggled quite a bit with this letter.

 _I hope that everything with your family is working out well. Do you know when you are coming back? I hope you do not find this letter uncalled for._

All other thoughts forgotten, Fuji slowly turned and walked towards the door of his house. He left the mailbox open with corners of disregarded letters hanging out.

 _I wanted to apologize. I spoke with Maeda-san and she gave me some insight into what things have been like for you since we graduated high school. I unexpectedly spoke with Atobe as well._

Fuji smiled. Even Atobe? Looks like all his secrets were coming to light.

 _Did you know? Everyone's face has been saying the same thing to me._ Figure it out soon. _Sounds strange doesn't it? Astou, Atobe, Maeda-san, even President Harris. It is unsightly, but I am struggling to understand. It is unusual for me to ask, but maybe you could help me? Something I have done has upset you. We have known each other for so many years. I don't want you to be upset. Please write back soon.  
_ _Tezuka_

Fuji gripped the letter hard, a feeling of relief sweeping through him. The letter was poorly written, but he understood that Tezuka had been thinking about him all this time, despite how hopeless and unexpressive the captain had seemed. As he reached for the door handle, something wet pressed against his mouth. Fuji collapsed, letter still clutched tightly in one hand, the envelope it came in fluttering to the ground beside him.

* * *

Author's Notes: I'm struggling a decent amount with the formatting limitations on FFN. It doesn't seem like there's a way to indent...


	9. Lösegeld

Disclaimer: Don't own Prince of Tennis. Also I don't know German. AT ALL.

The boys have long since outgrown their middle school days and are now scattered around the globe. But a few kindred spirits have found themselves once more in each other's company, as ties of fate seem to inevitably bring them back together. TeFu plus OCs and some other cameo pairings.

* * *

 **Tezuka POV**

I understood that international post was by no means a quick process. But after two weeks of not hearing anything, whether by post, email, or phone, I couldn't help but feel that there was nobody on the receiving end of my letter.

I leaned back against the car seat and closed my eyes. If everything was proceeding on time, Atobe's plane should have already landed. A few hours after I placed my letter to Fuji in the mailbox, I had received an email from Atobe explaining that he was going to be in America for a few days to settle business with Tom. He suggested we meet for lunch and catch up, maybe even play a few. I don't think I would ever characterize the two of us as friends that would catch up over coffee – we had never been that close. But we had also been through a decent amount together: rivalry, teamwork, and competition. At the very least, I was pretty sure I could rely on him if there ever came a time of need. On the other hand, I also could not tell if meeting for lunch was just the business side of him talking or not.

A few minutes later, Atobe strolled out from the double-layered sliding glass doors. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of expensive sunglasses but it was easy to tell from his body language that he was relaxed. A simple short-sleeved dress shirt was loosely buttoned over his thin but well-built frame. He wore a pair of black dress pants and casual loafers that matched his sunglasses. The strap of a large brown leather bag rested on his shoulder.

I rolled down the passenger side window. He caught the small motion from the corner of his eye and inclined his head towards me before walking over.

"Tezuka," he said, somewhat haughtily but with no ill intention, "how have you been?"

"Atobe." I didn't feel the need to say any more than that. A subtle smirk graced Atobe's features as he pulled open the door and settled in the seat next to mine.

As I pulled out onto the main road, I glanced over to my right. A content smile lingered on Atobe's face as he enjoyed the view from the car.

"When is your meeting with Tom?" I asked. We sat in silence for several seconds before he answered.

"Tom and I are childhood friends. We tend to settle matters quickly and the meeting will not be formal. We might even discuss it over a meal. That being said, we haven't set up an exact time or date yet."

"Hn."

* * *

Tom ended up joining us for a brief lunch, during which he and Atobe settled their business with but a few words. Afterwards, we took Atobe on a brief tour of the campus grounds where Tom dropped us off at the tennis courts.

"Tennis isn't really my thing," he said with a shrug and a smile before departing. We changed into our tennis uniforms and played a very light game, consisting mostly of calm, drawn-out rallies. Nonetheless, Atobe still managed to drop his prowess line on me before the game ended. He had clearly been keeping up his skills, despite his busy job as CEO of Atobe Systems.

"You're still planning on going pro, aren't you Tezuka?" Atobe asked at my back as we changed into our street clothes following our short showers.

"Yes."

"Good." He paused. "I rarely praise people, you know."

"I know."

* * *

I invited Atobe to stay over at my dorm until dinner. We ended up watching an old US Open video, the first of Samurai Nanjirou's games.

"Imagine if Echizen were watching this," Atobe chuckled. I nodded slightly, not really hearing him. My mind had gone back to wondering if Fuji had gotten my letter. Just as I considered how I could possibly ask Atobe about his friendship with Fuji, the doorbell rang.

I exchanged glances with Atobe before getting up to answer the door. Atobe followed closely behind. Yuuta, Fuji's younger brother, stood in the hall. Atobe snorted behind me at the unexpected guest, masking his disbelief.

"Oh, it's just you," Atobe joked before he caught the uncharacteristic look of worry and confusion on the boy's face. "Oi…" he began, but Yuuta waved his hand and walked past us, not bothering to wait for an invitation.

"Isn't your school in Japan?" I asked him, a sudden feeling of dread dropping into my stomach like a lead ball. "Are you okay?"

"They're going to call any minute now," he muttered, pulling an envelope out of his bag. His phone buzzed in his hand and he froze momentarily before turning to me. "Help."

* * *

The speaker had a deep, gruff voice.

" _Zeig's ihnen._ " Show it to them. German. And by the looks of it, Yuuta didn't understand the phrase, but he had already passed Atobe the brown envelope.

Atobe opened the envelope and shook the contents out onto the table. Pictures of Fuji, hands bound behind his back, lay across the table. Bruises decorated the light skin on his arms and legs. The several photos were taken from different angles but Fuji's position remained the same, eyes closed. He was unconscious.

Atobe's face contorted in a mixture of fear and rage – fear for the life of his friend, and rage at Fuji's poor condition. Since when had Atobe and Fuji been so close?

The rough voice crackled over the speakers, breaking my thoughts.

" _Lösegeld_."

"What did he say Tezuka-san?" Yuuta croaked. I could feel the urgency in his voice.

"Ransom," I told him. Yuuta's face fell and Atobe glowered.

" _Wieviel wollen Sie?_ " I said into the phone. How much do you want?

" _5 million euros._ " I didn't need to translate that. " _Auf unser Bankkonto. Überprüft die E-Mail._ " Bank account. Check email. Yuuta's phone buzzed once and the call went dead. Yuuta took the phone from me and checked the message.

"They sent all demands and information needed to wire the money over," he breathed. "They sent it to my personal email. They have all our information already." I stepped towards the younger Fuji. I felt overwhelmed. But my head was somehow still clear.

"Please explain what is going on. We need details." Yuuta's tired eyes turned towards me as he sighed and took a seat on the couch. Atobe and I followed suit.

* * *

Yuuta proceeded to tell us the recent course of events. The last time he and his father had talked to Fuji was three days ago. His father had debriefed Fuji in the morning about the day's schedule and Yuuta and video called him that night before going on a run. They had been unable to get in touch with him the next day, but since he was not required to be at the company that day, they didn't think much of it. But when he had not contacted them once over the next 24 hours, they started to get worried. Just as his father was about to leave the office to check on his son at home, he received an email. Attached to the email were the photos Yuuta had presented to us in the brown envelope. The entire email was written in German.

"The only person who knew German was Mr. Manseau, the vice president. He had aided the previous president with foreign business transactions in Italy and Germany as well so he was proficient in both languages. Since he was in the office, we asked him to translate." Yuuta sighed. "We were lucky that Mr. Manseau had been focusing on helping us just with local affairs during the transition or he could have been in another country when we needed his help."

After a brief pause, Yuuta continued his story. The email had stated that the kidnappers had Fuji in Germany. The company building and Fuji's place of residence were both located near the border between France and Germany. This could have meant a short trip to just across the border, or they could have gone even deeper into the neighboring country. It was unclear. The photos provided were just a taster of what would happen if their demands were not met.

" _Knowing you Frenchies_ ," Yuuta recalled, " _the lot of you don't know how to speak anything but French. We'll give you a couple days to get a translator. But understand that if the police get involved, we kill the boy._ " Yuuta paused for a moment. "That's what the email said, in essence. The word 'phone' and a time and date were written at the bottom. Today, just now."

"Do you have any idea who could have done this?" Atobe asked.

"None, honestly. We printed the pictures so we could take a closer look but there weren't any clues. Mr. Manseau came up with the idea of finding a translator among friends. This way, Aniki's life would be in less danger than if we went to the police for help. He said that he would be happy to translate if we were unable to find someone who spoke German. But the date of the scheduled call coincided with the date of a very important company meeting between us and a business partner in Italy. If we could find another translator, then he could take care of the Italy trip that was scheduled for today. That way, we," Yuuta gestured around, "could focus on finding Aniki without worrying about losing a business partner because we stood them up."

"And so you came to me," I said.

"Yes, I figured that after all the time you spent in Germany, you must have picked up a decent amount of the language. So we took him up on that offer, especially because none of us know how to speak Italian. So Mr. Manseau is currently in Italy and father is continuing the search effort back in France."

"My gut tells me that this Mr. Manseau is a shady character." Atobe hissed. "You don't seem to like him either."

"We considered it," Yuuta said, "but there's no way he's behind this. When I first met him, he made me feel really uncomfortable. I think Aniki felt that way too. But he's been extremely instrumental in getting us on our feet."

"But it sounds like the company is more important to him that rescuing Fuji." I said. Although I tried to imagine myself in Mr. Manseau's shoes, I could never picture myself offering the plan that he had come up with. But then again, I was also unfamiliar with how to run a company and what weight each meeting holds.

"It's true that he seems a little cold," Yuuta responded, "but you do have to understand that he doesn't have much of a personal bond to us. His stake in the company is probably a lot higher. But he is still framing his actions with our best interests in mind – giving us the freedom to devote our time to searching for Aniki. You know, 5 million euros is just a little less than our company's net worth. What could he possibly have to gain by bankrupting the company? He would lose his job."

Atobe and I remained silent for some time. His defense of the vice president was pretty strong. We still had no leads, no clue to the identity of the criminal. But we still had to come up with something, anything, to get Fuji back. Gathering up the full amount of ransom money would be financially difficult on the Fuji family, and to be honest, it wouldn't guarantee Fuji's safety. But what could we do?

* * *

Author's Notes: Writer's block. The story plot isn't coming as quickly or as smoothly anymore. Sorry for the delayed uploads.

EDIT: A big thanks to wirbelwind for help with the German!


End file.
